The Department of Health today said that there was insufficient evidence to indicate that St Teresa’s Hospital has breached the Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance and the Code of Practice for Private Hospitals regarding an air-conditioning interruption incident at the hospital in 2024.
The department was notified by a doctor on September 2, 2024 about an air-conditioning interruption in the operating theatres on the second floor of St Teresa’s Hospital on the evening of July 31, 2024, which lasted approximately one hour.
Although an air-conditioning interruption is not a reportable event of private hospitals, the department considered that the incident might have potential patient safety concerns and initiated an investigation on the date the doctor reported the incident.
The department’s staff conducted an inspection at the hospital, checked relevant documents, evaluated the effectiveness of its contingency measures, assessed the environmental condition of the operating theatres during the interruption and followed up on the remedial actions.
According to the investigation, the incident involved a malfunction of the air-conditioning system that is used to regulate room temperature.
During the incident, 10 surgeries were performed in various operating theatres. The hospital explained that dehumidifiers were immediately deployed in the operating theatres where higher risk surgeries were proceeding, including a surgery where an operation was being performed by the doctor who subsequently notified the department of the interruption.
According to the hospital and the nurses on site, the severity of condensation in the operating theatre did not result in water dripping onto the surgical site of patients. The ventilation system used for infection control in the operating theatres, including air filtration equipment, hourly air change rate and a positive pressure environment, was operating normally.
Apart from immediately responding to the incident, the hospital has worked with its contractor to identify the cause and take measures to prevent the occurrence of similar incidents.
Based on the available evidence gathered, the department considered that there was insufficient evidence to show that the hospital has breached the requirements of the aforesaid ordinance or the code of practice.
Regarding media enquiries on whether the department had received any complaints from patients, according to its existing records, the department pointed out that it received a call on September 12, 2024 from a citizen enquiring about the complaint procedure against private healthcare facilities. The caller mentioned that the air-conditioning system at St. Teresa’s Hospital was not functioning properly while surgeries were being performed.
The department noted that the Private Healthcare Facilities Ordinance provides for a complaints handling mechanism against private healthcare facilities, which includes the formation of the statutory Committee on Complaints Against Private Healthcare Facilities,with the department serving as Secretariat, to handle complaints lodged by patients against licensed private healthcare facilities.
The Secretariat promptly explained to the enquirer the function of the complaints committee and statutory procedures for lodging a complaint. One day after receiving the caller’s enquiry, the Secretariat sent information about the complaint procedures with complaint and statutory declaration forms to the email address provided as requested.
The enquirer confirmed receipt of the information concerned and forms by email. Since then, the complaints committee has not received any complaint from the enquirer in relation to the incident.
While the department emphasised that it completed its investigation based on all available information, it also stressed that it will continue to closely monitor licensed private healthcare facilities.
It added that it will take appropriate actions as necessary to safeguard patient safety, if there is new and concrete evidence.
